la-vie-en-rose

Our nice Monsieur Gay, who wears an old cardy and slippers at the Hotel des Impots (who knows - perhaps a bowler and pin-stripes at home) - asked where we had got our exchange rate from.  We said it was the official one, but he shuffled off and came back with a much better one (for us, I mean). We are on kissing terms with Receptionist, we've been there so often, and they are now experts on our (tax) affairs.  M. Gay pulls down the "Bible" when he sees us coming - perhaps an Armagnac will be next, or, more likely, a mug of cocoa. And it's a big Impots in a large suburb of Toulouse, too!

I'm with Club internet/Neuf/SFR/whoever next. Some while ago they joined up with AOL, and I have a suspicion that my e-mail is being dumped by the spam filter - either that or I'm a sad and lonely person with whom no-one corresponds and to whom no-one replies. So, does any-one know how I can find out?  I am an ignoramus as far as AOL is concerned, and although I have tried repeatedly to find out how to alter settings, changing them just on the Club-Internet e-mail site appears to make no difference. Any help gratefully received - assuming you can contact me...

We are looking for people living within a 100 Kms radius of Toulouse in attractive and interesting properties in country or village locations with spare high quality accommodation (minimum en-suite) and who are educated to at least degree standard preferably with additional expertise, and/or training and development experience who can offer intensive English courses to professionals seeking to immerse themselves in the language for between 3 and 5 days. We offer training and support good remuneration flexible working and a chance to participate in the development of our Company. For more information please contact me by PM or forum email.   Post edited by a moderator, please do not post personal contact details on the forum.

We have a dog who now needs, unfortunately, to be given the final vaccination. I write casually but, as any-one knows, underneath it's awful. Where is the best place to have this done, and does any-one have an idea of the price (not the cost - that's our sadness). Hope some-one can help - we live near Samatan.

We took Bill in as a favour to friends, but the bad news is that he chases chickens, so we can't keep him. He is a BIG collie, male, castrated, and soft.  He is 4 and a half years old, and behaves more like a Lab than a collie.  He still gambols around, so is known here as Big Gambolling Bill. He really needs people around him, as he gets lonely and craves company.  He gets on well with our other dogs. He is fine with children and, as collies go, is very undemanding (except on chickens!). Can you offer him a home? Contact us for photos and come and see him - we are near Samatan. Thanks!

Has any-one got the definitive answer to this? I have heard that the 5.5% rate for renovations is coming to an end - is this true, and, if so, when? If it's not true, please say so too, before a panic ensues!

Good thinking but no - there is nothing else like it on the memorial.

[IMG]http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q296/clair46/warmemorial.jpg[/IMG]

We live inToulouse and there is a huge archive of material for the Department (and some regional), and I know Auch (Gers) also has excellent archive access.  If we go, we have hands-on (not gloves-on) access to old documents (dating back to the twelfth century), and we are also members of the Departmental "Les Amis des Archives" de la Haute Garonne.  See www.archives2a31.net for activities, including courses in reading old French documents...also see www.archives.cg31.fr for more info. I guess this is similar in all Departments, so try looking in pages jaunes under Archives departementales - good luck and enjoy the search!

Hi Yes that's the memorial - I'll try to post a close-up of the missing name tomorrow. Excellent responses from all - thanks so much.

Thanks Dick. The memorial is at Le Fousseret, in the Haute Garonne (31). The name hasn't been edited out - it was never there - just the blank with 3 crosses. I'll send a photo - we would love to know more about what it means, so your researches would be welcome. My husband is thinking of doing some further research himself, and would also like to know more about the eminent WW1 discussion list - perhaps you could let us know?  (He has a Doctorate in Social and Economic History, so it would be more than idle interest - but only once the grass has stopped growing!)

I've just read through this thread. In our area of France (the Gers and the Haute Garonne), French neighbours know about Oradour, but say little beyond the fact that the same sort of story occurred all over France - it is memorialised there, but similar events are remembered elsewhere too.  A friend researching stories about the war hoped to talk to a number of people about their memories and was surprised to find no-one willing to discuss it.  Families and communities were divided and it seeems that the best that many can do is "not mention the War".  I didn't like the story in the book, but I found the background in "Charlotte Gray" helped me to understand a little more of how it must be for an occupied and divided nation.  I do not think it would be any different in any other country.

Our local war memorial lists the names of the dead from the Ist World War - but there is a gap at a particular place with just some crosses.  It would be some-one with a name starting with Pi - Ra, and there is no other clue. Can anyone tell me what this means - is it a deserter?

Thanks - it was loud and insistent last night too! Having listened to both the toad and the scops owl recordings, it's the owl - and I saw it yesterday evening, flying into the acacia outside our window. Many thanks for the help from the forum members.

Thanks for the response, Nick. Yes it is the same question - I found the other site after this one! The work crosses several types of possible registration, and we found your other reply very helpful - thanks for your time.

Hi I wonder if anyone has experience or views on the merits or disadvantages (impossibilities?) of starting up a business using this method. We would not be trading as such in France, and we are going to be seeking professional advice too - but experiences and thoughts are welcome! Thanks

Good morning we are thinking of starting a business and see that we could register with Companies House and then open a Branch in France. Has any-one got any experience or views on the merits and demerits of approaching things in this way? We WILL be seeking professional advice too - but this forum is usually pretty knowledgeable on such matters! Thanks

at 5 o clock this morning we were wakened by what sounded like a low battery warning alarm. It was a regular, 2-4 second single chirp, quite loud, and when I opened the window to hear it better it stopped. We live on the Gers/Haute Garonne border near Samatan, and whilst we have been here for 6 years we have never heard it before. Any ideas, anyone?

Hi. We are thinking of buying a 5 year old car, currently owned by English people and brought over from England.   They declared it exported on the English registration document, but have not registered it in France. I cannot see how to easily arrange for the transfer of ownership to us, unless either they register it in France and then sell it to us, or some-one knows how to transfer ownership on the English paperwork when it's already been declared as exported!  (and when both parties are resident in France, and the car will be staying here). We know about the registration process - we really need advice on the transfer of ownership, if any-one can help... Thanks!

Thankyou so much every-one who's replied - jolly useful stuff! I wonder if I could also ask which satellite BBC Prime is on - or can you get it on Sky, somehow? Once again, grateful thanks

can some-one tell me if it's possible to get this service on my computer? When I go to the site, it automatically refuses to let me on because I am with a foreign internet provider. I guess some-one knows a way round this?... Here's hoping!

Thanks for that, Chris - I find your replies so helpful and knowledgeable.

I threw a ripe quince into a thicket for our guest cocker spaniel to retrieve, went on hanging out the washing, looked down and he'd swapped it for a leveret. Tragically he'd broken its neck and it died in my arms shortly after. I don't throw anything too far any more - but, isn't it an odd time for leverets to be around? We live about 30 miles south-west of Toulouse, and usually see them in May.  Can some-one tell me if it's usual, or another weird example of the results of changing weather patterns.